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DANlELfWHIT-E AND GEORGE H. WHITE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Leners Patent No. 76,864, dates Apta 14, 186s.

IMPROVEMENT IN STREET LETTER-BOXES.

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TO ALI WHOM IT MAY OONOERN:

Be it known that we, DANIEL WHITE and GEORGE H. WHITE, both of the city of Chicago, in the county of Ooo'k, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Street Letter-Box;" and we-do hereby declare that the following is a full .and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents vertical section, and

Figure 2 front view of the box.

Figure 3 is the rear elevation of the.same.

Figure 4 is a representation of the iron strap securing the box to the post; and

Figure 5 is a sexagonal box secured upon iron stool.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts of the box.

The nature of our invention consists in constructing the street letter-box in such a manner as to insure perfect protection to the letters contained in it against the weather; also, in so arranging the slit-s or openings through which letters are deposited that the letters lying Ainside of the box can in no way interfere with the letters pushed through-said openings into the box; also, in so arranging the door as to empty all the contents of the box into a bag, hooked under the said door instantly; also, in arranging the street letter-box in such a manner that it may be approached by persons from all sides, and six or eight letters and newspapers deposited simultaneously. l i To enable others skilled in the art to make-and use my invention, we will proceed to describe its construction and operation. l

A is the box, straight at the back, and with several faces at the front, covered with a pointed roof, B, of such a size as to freely admit the largest envelopes, with the eaves b b projecting far enough to protect slits or openings C C from the inclemencies of weather. Openings O O m'ay be arranged for letters and newspapers, and are provided with interior` anges, d d, raised upward for the purpose of serving as guides to the letters pushed in, carrying thetn upwardunder the roof B, until they tip over the edges of said ilanges, thus preventing the contents of the box from interfering with the letters pushed in. The box is narrowed toward the bottom, which bottom is hinged to said boxand forms door D, provided withhandle E on the outside, and grooved anges F F on the inside, into which a lock-is inserted and secured, which loclil being inside when'the box is locked, is

thus perfectly protected from weather, the'joints between the door and the lower edge ofthe box being perfectly protected from weather by projection or cornice G. Ears, H H, are secured to the lower edges of the box, to suspend a bag or Satchel underneath, to receive letters when door D is opened. There may be horizontal loops or staples, I I, secured to the back side of the box to admit a strapto strap the box to a post, or vertical loops or staples, K, by means of which the-box may be hung on hooks against the wall. There is a brace, L, secured to the back side of the box, and across it, to strengthen the box, and holes mm made throughitand through the' side, for the purpose of passing the screw-threaded ends of an iron band, N, with which the box may be secured to the lantern-post, which strap is tightened and adjusted by the nuts O O, screwed on the said ends inside of the box. v

The box may be made'of tin, sheet metal, or cast iron, and in the latter case brace L is cast in a piece with the box, and is hollowed outfon the outside so as to t the post. A padlock, instead of lock, can also be used by screwing an iron strap, d?, to the door, and passing it around the edge of the box and over a staple, on which said padlock is suspended. The box 'may also be made sexagonal or octagonal, provided with openings, C C, all around, and a door on one of its sides, and secured to and upon acast-ironl stool, R, provided with a footplate,which may be screwed or bolted down to the floor or sidewalk; the advantages'ofsuch a box being that'several letters may be deposited simultaneously on all sidesof the box, and the box stands independently anywhere. v

The operation consists in the following: When the carrier wants to take. the letters out ofthe box,\l1e

' suspends his bag or Satchel under the door D, bymeans of hooks attached to said bag or satchel hooked `into the ears H H, vunlocks and opens the door, and all the contents of the said box are tumbled down at once into the suspended bag. i

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The street letter-box A., of'the shape as described, with projecting and pointed roof B, and the sides narrowed toward the bottom, provided with movable bottom forming door D, the joints betweensaid door and box protected by cornice G, the Whole arranged and operating substantially as herein set forth and specified.

2. The inside guides or ilangcs d d f the openings C C, arranged and operating substantially as set forth, and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with the above, the ears H H, loops or staples I I or K K, and brace L, substantially as herein shown and described.

4. The sexagonal or octagonal letter-box, constructed as shown and described, provided with six or eight openings for letters and newspapers, end securely placed on an iron stool, the sume being secured to the Hoor or sidewalk, substantially as set forth.

DANIEL WHITE, GEORGE H. WHITE.

Witnesses:

J. IB. TUncHIN, CHARLES F. RITCHEL. 

